P. 1

Districts under redevelopment

Ensuring the highest level of accessibility in new neighbourhoods implanted in densely populated urban areas

Ecomm 2010

Context

P.2

In Geneva :

The urbanisation process happens primarily in urbanisation areas inside the city or immediately next to it

Circulation axes are generally overcrowded

The general assumption is that home parking spaces must be created in order to avoid residents having to move their cars during the day

Rules governing the minimal number of parking spaces needed per housing unit (or per ground floor area)

There are a few accompaniment measures that enable to revise downwards the number of required parking spaces

Avoiding a situation where the residents occupy public spaces with their vehicles.

Parking Requirements in Geneva

P.3

Objectives

P.4

Carrying out mobility studies in order to…

• Establish the guiding principles that will ensure optimal accessibility in the neighbourhood

• Determining the parking requirements and the possible derogation clauses that may apply to applicable parking rules

• Accompaniment of decisions that are sustainable in terms of city planning

Methodology

P.5

Elements taken into account in mobility studies for new urban neighbourhoods

• Suitability of work – housing diversity

• Neighbourhood accessible through public transport networks

• Neighbourhood accessible through soft mobility networks

• Saturation of the surrounding circulation axes

• Number of parking spaces envisaged in the project

• Proximity of shops, service (schools and nurseries) infrastructures and leisure facilities

Methodology

P.6

Geomatics analysis

Study pertaining to accessibility through public transportStudy pertaining to accessibility through soft mobility transport modes (walking and cycling)

Enables a general overview of the situation in terms of accessibility

Time necessary to access the main service pools :

• Sports and leisure facilities• Schools• Shopping centres and areas

Completes the analysis of the situation

Case study n°1 : project data

P.7

Geneva – project data

1000 housing units4000 jobsPublic facilities (nursery, school)A hotelA shopping mallEnergy efficiency “as close as possible to zero emissions”

Mobility study upstream of planning permissions in order to anticipate possible opposition to the project

Case study n°1 : analysis of infrastructures

P.8

Case study n° 1 : analysis of infrastructures

P.9

Case study n°1 : suggested improvements

P.10

Facilities• Secure and covered bicycle sheds• Bicycle sharing systems (such a system is yet to be created in Geneva)• Improving the neighbourhood’s accessibility to the bicycle network

Services• From home delivery of groceries by bicycle to electric assistance• Sustainable mobility subsidy included in the rent • Separation of the parking space and the lease • Mobility charter with companies

Communication• Accessibility • Participative process including companies and residents• Neighbourhood marketing (neighbourhood with low levels of motorisation)

Following the mobility study, the owner included mobilidée in the list of agents involved in the start of construction works.

Case study n°2 : project data

P.11

Geneva – project data

Mixed Neighbourhoods with jobs and habitations located between two communes

One of the communes wants to build an eco-neighbourhood

Geneva state opposes the reduction of the number of parking spaces stated in the cantonal regulations

Mobility study in order to analyse the various hypotheses aimed at reducing the number of parking spaces based on accessibility.

Case study n°2 : project data

P.12

Hypothesis A: number of parking spaces set forth in the parking regulations: 1.3 spaces/100m² of ground floor area

Hypothesis B: 20% reduction of spaces in 25% of public utility housing units

Hypothesis C: ratio of 1 space/100m² of ground floor area

Hypothesis D: ratio of 0.5 space/100m² of ground floor area (usual ratio for an eco-neighbourhood)

Derogatory clauses

P.13

The parking regulations in Geneva state include derogatory clauses that are based on:

a) requirements due to environmental considerations […]

Impact study report: limit values of NO² are exceeded

b) commitments and specific agreements […] that enable to objectively justify the reduction of the number of parking spaces.

Agreement relating to accompaniment measures

c) notable improvements in terms of availability of public transport

Geneva’s new RER network will pass directly nearby

Case study n°2 – results

P.14

•The neighbourhood benefits from good accessibility through sustainable mobility 70% of the state’s jobs are accessible in 40 minutes25% of the state’s jobs are accessible in 15 minutes by bicycle

• As these levels of accessibility are to be improved significantly (construction of Geneva’s new RER network)

• As an agreement has been reached between property owners and the State

• As the construction of additional parking space is possible if the project fails

The State of Geneva has accepted to reduce the number of parking spaces to 1 space/100 m2 of gross floor area (hypothesis C)

Thank you for your time!